Bharat Mata Ki Jai demands renaming of Vasco to Murgao

Former Goa-RSS Chief Subhash Velingkar plans to reignite the demand for renaming one of Goa’s popular and internationally renowned constituency Vasco to Murgao.

Speaking on the platform of his socio-political outfit – Bharat Mata Ki Jai, he threatened that his supporters would disrupt any program that would be held to commemorate Centenary of Vasco town.

He stand comes close after media reports stated that BJP MLA Carlos Almeida and officials at Vasco held a meeting to work out modalities to commemorate 100 years of naming of the port town.

“We would be forced to disrupt any function or event that will be organised to celebrating naming of the town after pirate Vasco-da-Gama,” he said.

Velingkar told the media that in the year 1997, several patriots under the banner of “Deshpremi Nagrik Samiti” had began an agitation demanding renaming of Vasco as ‘Murgao.’

Then MGP legislator Shivdas Verenkar had even tabled private member’s resolution on the floor of the House which was supported by former Chief Minister Shashikala Kakodkar and other legislators including Prakash Velip, Dr Kashinath Jhalmi and other MGP leaders.

The resolution was also supported by then BJP legislators Manohar Parrikar, Narahari Haladankar, Shripad Naik and Digambar Kamat, he recalled.

Velingkar said that the resolution was defeated on the floor of the House by then Congress led government. While 24 voted against the resolution, 10 voted in favour. But it must now be revived again.